Saturday, September 12, 2015

Workbasket Wednesday Link Up!

This is my first try at linking with Autism Classroom's workbasket Wednesday....

 
I love these things...I call them tasks, some call them boxes...whatever the name...
they are AWESOME!
 
Here are some of my favorites....
 
 
The piece of Velcro is a modification for a student who had difficulty physically writing. He was shown 2-4 cards with numbers already written and chose which one matched the value of the coins.
 
 
Students who can read also need this strategy.
This was an easy one to pull together using ordinary objects around the classroom.
It is a great reading comprehension activity!
 
As a special education teacher for intensive need students, my students' needs change from year to year, I don't always have students who require this type of task.
However
I save them and use them for review with ALL kinds of learners...
and they love them!
 
They are priceless.
 
Thank you for coming by,
 
 
Paula

Friday, September 11, 2015

Five for Friday.........Composting at School


Our school has a garden that is planted by students,  cared for over the summer by local families and teachers....

There is this amazing teacher who started it....

Next, she started composting...this year she asked if my students would do the daily composting job....I thought it would be a good break for them from the drudgery of academics.

They learned the routine and are serious about it...they ask really good questions about  how it works (they had the amazing teacher for homeroom last year so they had some ideas).

The teacher assistant who walks them through it looks up mini videos about the different aspects of composting and shows them during their breaks....

I just followed them around one day and took pictures......





 
Each classroom teacher who was willing received a bucket next to the trashcan. When their class has lunch, the students are instructed to only place the fresh fruit or vegetables they didn't eat into the  bucket. (our students eat in their homerooms)
 
 
 
 
 
Our students pick up the first bucket and empty all the other bucket's contents into it, they have lids that are put in place after it is empty.
 
 
 
They empty it all into the compost station.
 
 
 
 
 
Beautiful!
 
 
I got the number cards from Doodle Bugs out --------the pumpkin shaped 5's and the Bat 10's!
 
These cards are a great resource!
Eight school days ago my math group counted by fives....badly.
Today they did it perfectly!
They counted and arranged the pumpkin cards in order almost every school day and ...
 
Presto!
 
It such a little thing that makes a BIG difference!
 
That's about all I got!
It is cooling off, leaves are turning yellow and red, and I need
to finish a class...like yesterday!
That's what I'll be doing this week-end.
 
 
Have a good one,
 
Paula
 

Friday, September 4, 2015

Five for Friday

 
We had another short week, although I love them, I am dreading the next FULL week! It will be hard to put in five whole days.
 
 
1
 




 2
 


 
My twin grandchildren had their 5th birthdays! 
 
3
Fall has arrived! I love the colors.
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
4
 
 
 
Here are some things my mom painted for me, I've had them a long time.
I miss her. 
 
Enjoy the week-end,
 
 
Paula